Call it a trend, an anomaly or simply a coincidence, but while everyone is busy bemoaning the number of MLS players scurrying over to Europe, in terms of raw numbers it appears that any day now Europeans will start complaining that the reverse is true.

And now that Los Angeles has answered the age-old question: "My God, how much longer before someone notices what an incompetent dolt Alexi Lalas is?", the Gals - holding the #1 allocation - passed on Gibbs so they could sign the NEXT incoming Yank, Eddie Lewis.

All of which - remarkably - leaves Steve Nicol sitting on top of the allocation heap, holding the position he got from Columbus just last week, and it's hard to believe it's going to have time to grow mold. Can you say "Benny Feilhaber"?

And of course someplace in all of this we need to mention Clint Mathis, who has decided to quit up looking for another gig overseas and has signed with RSL.

Just when everyone thought the key to making a stretch run was landing a big foreign player, returning Americans have suddenly become a hot commodity.

Speaking of McBride I hope you caught his sideline interview in the immediate aftermath of the US team's loss to Nigeria. What a class act that guy is.